Fine scratches on the brass

[santee]

So, I have some fine scratches on the brass backstrap of the Open Top. Would jewelers rouge and a polishing cloth do o.k. to get those out?

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

      Should work fine Santee, just remember brass is soft, so scratches will climb aboard every time you use your gun, but there is nothing wrong with trying to keep it looking good with a polishing cloth, I do this with mine, I just don't worry about getting a high shine, cause it will only last for a nano second unless you lacquer over it, but that doesn't hold up long.


                  tEN wOLVES 

[santee]

Thanks, TenWolves. I like the look of tarnished brass on the gun. Gives it a good well-used appearance. The scratches are my mistake and bug the heck outa me.

[Raven]

I like the look of tarnished brass on the gun. Gives it a good well-used appearance. The scratches are my mistake and bug the heck outa me.

The hard part to do in aging a gun is natural looking scratches, dents and dings. You can never do them on purpose and make them look natural. And patina (tarnish) with no scratches, dents or dings.......looks fake.

Scratches are an important part of a well-used appearance!

When ever I scratch, dent or ding a gun it pisses me off to no end.....but once you get used to them , it's what gives the gun the flavor of the old west. You got to remember it's was just a tool to most, and tools get used and sometimes abused.

Raven

[santee]

I agree, Raven. When I've attempted aging metal or wood...just don't look that good. Leather, however, is another story.

[Slowhand Bob]

I have often seen it written that we use brass now days in the place of the gun metal or bronze, which was used more commonly on the early originals.  I much prefer the darker mottled look that brass becomes after a bit of aging and exposure to black powder residue.  It would seem to me that even back when, outdoors-men would have picked up on the tendency of shiny brass to betray ones position.  I actually used a paste made from the old Clean Shot Powder to rapidly darken my old Uberti '66s bright brass frame.  I tend to think the bright flashy guns were more common to the wealthy or otherwise elite visitors to the old west rather than the inhabitants.

[santee]

Interesting point on the shiny brass betraying one's position.

[rickk]

If you polish out the scratches, you will be forced to polish the entire thing so that it all has the same shade of shininess.

Why not just open a beer and let it ride?

[santee]

Yeah. Probably what I'll do. Thanks.
But I'll be a shot of Gentleman's Jack.

[Mako]

Santee,
Just let it age.  Here is one of my '60s and you can see the mottling you get on the brass trigger guards.  The trigger guards and back straps have always been brass since they began making them in the 19th century.  I clean them a lot but I never polish them.



The frames of firearms such as the Henry and '66 were gunmetal which is a form of bronze, but the carriers and other parts were often brass.  It's simply a matter of strength requirements.  The current brass alloys being used are probably 90-95% as strong as the original.

This is what one of my '66s looks like that shoots nothing but BP.  The speckliing and dark marks are from BP residue that gets pulled out and ejected during rapid firing on a stage.  





Those frames aren't dirty, those are stains.  You can see by the second picture the action is slick and clean.

You won't get that speckling on your revolver grip parts, that comes from contact with powder residue.  My revolver brass parts get to the stage like I showed above and they stay like that.  I've got about 14 revolvers that have trigger guards and in some cases backstraps that are in varying stages of aging the brass.

Just let it age and you'll never worry about light scratches.

Regards,
Mako

[badlands]

The best way to apply natural looking scratches and wear is saddle up and ride with your hog leg on, no matter how hard you try, they get applied some way or another.

[Coffinmaker]

Well .... I shoot lots of brass frame guns, rifles - '66 & Henry and a lot of conversions with brass frames.  Their all grungy looking (the way there suppose to be) with no shine.  I always wonder if the guys with real shiny brass guns really take them out and play with them.
So ..... My opinion is to leave the tiny scratches there cause if you really use your guns, your just gonna get more and then you gotta polish,then you get a scratch or spot, then polish, then .......... well, you get the picture.

Coffinmaker

[Slowhand Bob]

As far as the brass frame rifles go, I often see guys state a desire to buy the brass frame versions just because they do like the shiny look.  I like the mottled appearance of an aged brass receiver and my '66 is very similar in appearance to the one Mako shows.  Similarly I much prefer the mottled look of color case over blued framed guns, kinda like cars, some want cherry red and others prefer forest green?

[Montana Slim]

I routinely scrub/rub-down the blackened soot from my 1866 - as best possible (dry towels)....but it still makes Mako's look "cherry".

Would need to get out my high-speed sander/polisher to remove the nicks and gouges in my rifle simply caused by empty brass falling on it.

On  humorous note, I have a friend who covers the top of his receiver with black tape before each match...& later removes and polishes the brass. Tape serves two purposes - 1) helps keep the brass free of nicks, and 2) keeps the glare down while sighting in the sun. I could fiix the "glare" problem in just a few seconds with a dirty bore patch.

Slim

[Mako]

I routinely scrub/rub-down the blackened soot from my 1866 - as best possible (dry towels)....but it still makes Mako's look "cherry".

Slim

Slim,
That's an older photo, I have actually "cleaned" it a bit since then because of some work did on it and it is even crustier looking now than it was then.  I have '66 Carbine that is much more brown than that photo and a Henry I have been nursing the finish on to get that even brown patina you see on a lot of museum pieces.

I have found the moist wet residue causes the most speckling.  On the Henry I have been wiping it immediately after shooting to keep the finish even,

Regards,
Mako

[Montana Slim]

Ah-ha! Mako your using more than one gun 

My other cowboy rifles have been in the back of the vault (in need of minor repairs)..so I just keep shooting the '66 Rifle.
Lost track of exact count, but I'm sure I passed 20K on this '66 a few years ago, just based on the total rounds loaded each year.
I'd rather mine had an even, mellow tone as you describe....most of it it is very dark & others closer to black. I'm probably too lax on the scrub-downs.

Slim

[Mako]

Ah-ha! Mako your using more than one gun  ...

Slim

Guilty as charged, but '66s (except for the occasional foray with the Henry).  The '73s feel neglected.

~Mako

[fowler]

 Just put a coat of good carwax on it!!!!

[Riot Earp]

Mothers® Mag & Aluminum Polish removes scratches from brass and makes it gleam. I have used it on a couple of triggerguards with wondrous results.